Susan Hinton's The Outsiders

How does Ponyboy’s perspective change about the social media? In 1967, Susan Hinton wrote the award-winning novel, “The Outsiders.” This book shows how two gangs go neck-and-neck and are constantly competing with each other to prove who is better. These groups of friends couldn’t be any different, or at least that’s what happened. In the book, The Outsiders, Ponyboy’s attitude toward the Socs changed drastically as the story progressed. Ponyboy realized that “despite their differences,” he and the Socs “share similar experiences and struggles.” At the beginning of the book, Ponyboy despised the Socs. The Greasers were not exceedingly affluent, most lived in poverty and didn’t have preferable upbringings. They weren’t the cleanest people and

2) He stated this because if they did walk by themselves, they had a good chance of getting chased and beaten by the Socs. but after the fight, and after they ran away and came back, there was a rumble coming up. Randy, who was Bob's best friend and a Soc, spoke to Ponyboy about not wanting to go to the rumble and he's sick of constantly competing to see which side of town is better. Randy said that, “So it doesn’t do any good, the fighting and killing. It doesn’t prove a thing.” (Hilton, 1967, p. 117) After he talked to Randy, he realized that some of these guys are just normal people just trying to live. Ponyboy told Two-Bit, “Socs were just guys after all. Things were rough all over, but it was better that way.” (Hilton, 1967, p. 118). Above all, Ponyboy realized that he and the Socs are very similar and very different from each other. Apart from their differences, they realized that they also have many things in common. In chapter 2, the Greasers meet Cherry Valance, a Soc, at a drive-in movie theater. Dally was trying to win her over but she was not interested in him because he was a Greaser, but for some reason, she liked and wanted to talk to Ponyboy and Johnny. She told him that they look “too innocent” to be a

Ponyboy thinks that all Socs are the same, and they are all rich, selfish people. Cherry told Ponyboy, “I’ll bet you think the Socs have it made.” The Rich Kids, The West Side Socs. I’ll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you’ve never even heard of.” (Hilton, 1967, p.34) After she told him this, he realized that they aren’t very different after all. Cherry and Ponyboy felt comfortable around each other, which isn’t what people expected. “I don’t know why I could talk to her; maybe for the same reason she could talk to me.” Ponyboy couldn’t believe that they had so much in common. They both watched the sunset and had the same emotions and struggles. Ponyboy stated, “Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different.” We saw the same sunset.” (Hilton, 1967, p. 41) At this moment, he believes that they are not all the same, and that they have many things in common. Towards the end of the book, Randy comes over to talk to Ponyboy and talk about court. They can now call each other friends and put aside the stereotypes of the community. In conclusion, Ponyboy’s attitude toward the Socs had drastically changed as the story